history of fairy tales

[marycatelli]

You know, if you open a story with one character telling another the backstory about why she's in danger, you need the backstory.

Part of it was that the history evolved as I outlined the story. I didn't revise the opening.

But still, I had not slotted three of the eight conspirators into the opening story, whose entire purpose is to warn the heroine that those eight are the problem.

I shall have to juggle what is told -- after all, just enough to alert the heroine to what she must do to stop her danger. Especially since the person can only tell her in the vaguest terms: these are the people who will hurt you if they can. Useful knowledge, but nothing so good as "throw this handkerchief, comb, and mirror behind you when you run away."